6 DOF Reality Motion Simulator Racing Platform

A full motion racing simulator, sometimes called a full motion sim rig, is a

motion simulator A motion simulator or motion platform is a mechanism that creates the feelings of being in a real motion environment. In a simulator, the movement is synchronised with a visual display of the outside world (OTW) scene. Motion platforms can provi ...

that is purposed for racing, and must provide motion simulation in all

six degrees of freedom Six degrees of freedom (6DOF) refers to the six mechanical degrees of freedom of movement of a rigid body in three-dimensional space. Specifically, the body is free to change position as forward/backward (surge), up/down (heave), left/right ...

, as defined by the aviation simulator industry many decades ago. The six degrees of freedom coincide with Earth physics, and are commonly referred to (in both

aircraft An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air. It counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines. ...

watercraft Any vehicle used in or on water as well as underwater, including boats, ships, hovercraft and submarines, is a watercraft, also known as a water vessel or waterborne vessel. A watercraft usually has a propulsive capability (whether by sail ...

and other

vehicles A vehicle (from la, vehiculum) is a machine that transports people or cargo. Vehicles include wagons, bicycles, motor vehicles (motorcycles, cars, trucks, buses, mobility scooters for disabled people), railed vehicles ( trains, trams), ...

) as: * The three translational movements: Surge, sway and heave (front/back motion, side-to-side motion and up/down motion, respectively) * The three rotational movements: Roll, pitch, and yaw (rotation around the normal, transverse and longitudinal axes, respectively)

Different implementations of 6DOF

Simulations of these six degrees of freedom are achieved by 2 fundamentally different approaches. 1. Historically by tilting of a motion base (also called a Stewart platform) which also changes the driver's position relative to the Earth's

gravity In physics, gravity () is a fundamental interaction which causes mutual attraction between all things with mass or energy. Gravity is, by far, the weakest of the four fundamental interactions, approximately 1038 times weaker than the str ...

, giving the sensation of

acceleration In mechanics, acceleration is the rate of change of the velocity of an object with respect to time. Accelerations are vector quantities (in that they have magnitude and direction). The orientation of an object's acceleration is given by ...

. 2. More recently, a
physics based
methodology achieved through a series of

gimbals A gimbal is a pivoted support that permits rotation of an object about an axis. A set of three gimbals, one mounted on the other with orthogonal pivot axes, may be used to allow an object mounted on the innermost gimbal to remain independent of ...

and linear bearing systems that allow for independent degrees of freedom that work around the center of mass. In motion simulators, the cockpit or the occupant's seat is moved in coordination with a graphical output. Different examples of racing simulators with motion exist, some of which provide motion only to the driver's seat, and others that move the entire simulator cockpit including all car controls. Further differentiation exists regarding visual display technology and whether the simulators graphical output moves with, and stays relative to the sim, or is static and motionless. Th
DOF Reality
H6/P6 and SimCraft APEX6 PRO and Cruden ar
examples
of full motion racing simulators implemented in different ways, but both offer motion simulation on all 6 of the degrees of freedom. The DOF Reality and Cruden system utilizes a

Stewart platform A Stewart platform is a type of parallel manipulator that has six prismatic actuators, commonly hydraulic jacks or electric linear actuators, attached in pairs to three positions on the platform's baseplate, crossing over to three mounting poi ...

while SimCraft utilizes a proprietary physics approach with independent degrees of freedom. In addition to the six degrees of freedom, it is also common to have force feedback in full motion racing simulators, most commonly in the steering wheel, but sometimes even in other controls as well. To create an even more immersive experience, full motion racing simulators are sometimes also combined with

virtual reality headset A virtual reality headset (or VR headset) is a head-mounted device that provides virtual reality for the wearer. VR headsets are widely used with VR video games but they are also used in other applications, including simulators and trainers. VR ...

s. Motion platforms has been proven to reduce Cybersickness or Virtual Reality sickness. Using motion platforms participants are capable of playing longer sessions without feeling nauseous. Motion systems succeeded in minimizing mismatches between movement and graphics which brings disorientation to the end. In most systems motion compensation or cancellation software takes its part in minimizing the influence of VR on the brain and health condition.

Definitions

To merely be called a motion racing simulator, the device in contrast only needs to have a motion simulation mechanism in at least 1

degree of freedom Degrees of freedom (often abbreviated df or DOF) refers to the number of independent variables or parameters of a thermodynamic system. In various scientific fields, the word "freedom" is used to describe the limits to which physical movement or ...

. However, any motion simulator with less than six degrees of freedom should not be referred to as ''full'' motion simulators.

DOF comparison

APEX6 Full Motion Professional Racing Simulator 6dof motion simulator

The number of degrees of freedom (DOF) specifies how many ways a simulator can rotate or translate. Arguably the two most common use cases are auto racing and flight simulators. * Auto racing simulators require quick movements, and it is often acceptable to have a short range of motion. * Flight simulation requires a larger range of motion. Some common motion simulator setup types include:xsimulator.net
SimCraft DOF Comparison
/ref> * 1DOF with yaw * 2DOF seat mover - A 2DOF seat mover is one example of a common setup. * 2DOF with wheel and pedals on a gimball * 2DOF with wheel and pedals "joyrider" * 2DOF flatbed * 3DOF with roll, pitch, and yaw * 3DOF with heave * 3DOF with traction loss * 3DOF with 360 degree rotation * 4DOF with roll, pitch, yaw, and sway * 5DOF with roll, pitch, yaw, sway, and surge * 6DOF physics based * 6DOF Stewart platform based
/ref>

Layout

Full motion racing simulators are usually manufactured from steel or aluminum with mounting mechanisms for

car controls Car controls are the components in automobiles and other powered road vehicles, such as trucks and buses, used for driving and parking. While controls like steering wheels and pedals have existed since the invention of cars, other controls have ...

, such as: * A

steering wheel A steering wheel (also called a driving wheel (UK), a hand wheel, or simply wheel) is a type of steering control in vehicles. Steering wheels are used in most modern land vehicles, including all mass-production automobiles, buses, light and ...

* Pedals (usually a throttle and brake pedal, and often also a clutch pedal) *

Gear shifter A gear stick (rarely spelled ''gearstick''), gear lever (both UK English), gearshift or shifter (both U.S. English), more formally known as a transmission lever, is a metal lever attached to the transmission of an automobile. The term ''gear sti ...

(usually either an armrest-height mounted H-pattern or dog-leg pattern stick, or a floor mounted sequential stick, or a wheel-mounted paddle shifter) * Seat, typically some form of a

bucket seat A bucket seat is a car seat contoured to hold one person, distinct from a flat bench seat designed to fit multiple people. In its simplest form it is a rounded seat for one person with high sides, but may have curved sides that partially enclos ...

Ergonomics may also attempt to replicate the vehicle being simulated.

Gallery

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References